merely a recommendation? There are two views on this among the scholars of our school and others. The correct view is that it was a binding command, issued during the day; they had not been commanded to fast from the preceding night. Later that year—in Rajab or another month—fasting the month of Ramadan was made obligatory. During Ramadan that year—the first Ramadan in which fasting was obligatory—the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, fought the Battle of Badr. It took place on Friday, the seventeenth of the month. After Allah granted him victory over the polytheists, he remained on the battlefield for three days. The last ten days thus began while he was travelling, and he returned to Medina with only a small part of those ten days remaining. He did not observe devotional retreat in Medina during that period, and he spent its remaining days attending to the captives and their ransom. After consulting his Companions about the ransom, he rose and entered his house, then came out again.

The reports of his activities indicate that he did not spend all of those ten days in devotional retreat. However, he may have made up his retreat, just as he made up his missed fasts and the retreat of the year in which his wives wanted to join him. That accounts for the year of Badr.

Likewise, in the year of the conquest, eight AH, he travelled during Ramadan and entered Mecca partway through the month, with only a small part of it remaining. While in Mecca, he was occupied with the aftermath of the conquest, dispatching military detachments to the surrounding areas, and establishing the foundations of